Pregnancy

• Take Folic acid 400 micrograms per day, and continue it even after you become pregnant until 12 weeks. It helps the fetus’s early development, especially the brain, spinal cord, and eyes.
• Eat healthily- avoid fast foods/ junk foods, and aerated drinks.
• Stop smoking, and this applies to both partners.
• Cut out Alcohol.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Consult your doctor before embarking on a pregnancy if you are on medications for Epilepsy, Thyroid Disorder, Diabetes Mellites, Psychiatric illness, or any other illness
• Both partners should look into their family history of conditions that run in the families- like thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, or blood disorders. If there is such a history, tests may need to be done to check if either partner is a carrier. Your doctor can advise you in this regard.
• Vaccinations- if you are not immune to certain conditions, it is better to take the vaccinations before embarking on a pregnancy- e.g- the Rubella vaccine, Covid vaccine, and the MMR These infections can affect the baby if you suffer from these conditions during pregnancy.
• Relaxation and exercise

• Missed period
• Passing urine frequently
• Breast heaviness and tenderness
• Nausea and Vomiting- Morning sickness

Diagnosis

• Home pregnancy test
• Blood test – beta HCG- the pregnancy hormone
• Ultrasound
• Your due date is calculated by adding 280 days to the first day of your last period (40 weeks). But an ultrasound done at around 12 weeks is more acute in predicting the due date.

• The booking visit- your first visit to the doctor is usually around 6 weeks of pregnancy.
• Your doctor will examine you and do an ultrasound to make sure the pregnancy is situated in the correct place in the womb.
• She will advise blood and urine tests and prescribe vitamins.
• She will also explain to you the frequency of your antenatal visits and the frequency of ultrasound scans.
• She will advise regarding diet and exercise in pregnancy.